Currency with expiry date? It's a poll promise

May 04, 2009 14:32 IST

Currency notes with expiry date, ban on private vehicles, different timings for colleges and offices and provision to judge the court's judgements are what Kanta Pingolia is promising to work towards if elected to the Lok Sabha.

The independent candidate from South Delhi is also the head of a civil society group Corruption Elimination Society, which aims at "rooting out corruption".

Ironically, Pingolia is facing criminal charges, including for alleged extortion and threats, and has even served time in jail. This has, however, not deterred her from trying her luck in the electoral fray.

"I have been falsely implicated for speaking out truth against corruption in society," the first-timer said.

She says she will seek a ban on private vehicles and work towards introducing an efficient public transport system to smoothen traffic on roads in case. Also, on her agenda is getting colleges, factories and offices to operate at different times.

To deal with the problem of black money, Pingolia promises to press the government for printing an "expiry date" on every note so that it cannot be hoarded. "Once the expiry date ends, the currency will have to be submitted to the government which will exchange it by issuing new notes to the customer. There will be no money laundering," she reasons.

Pingolia minced no words as she attacked her main political rival Ramesh Kumar (Congress) and Ramesh Bidhuri (BJP) who she alleged have done nothing for the welfare of the residents. "They just make false promises to fool people. People need an MP who can sincerely take up their issues to Parliament."

Ask her why she wants to fight for Lok Sabha and not assembly elections or for that matter municipal polls, pat comes reply, "As an MP I can take issues of national importance."

Aware of her financial constraints, this eighth pass is banking on door to door campaign to come out with flying colours on May 7.